The present invention relates to a novel truss structure for use in constructing buildings.
Trusses are often employed in edifices to provide rigidity and support to the frame of the same. In the past, trusses have been constructed of wooden members or planks arranged in a triangular or triangular-like configuration. In essence, trusses include chords forming the exterior of the same and with a web or series of posts or spanning members between the chord portions.
In the past, wood and metallic materials have been used together to construct buildings. U.S. Pat. No. 2,286,158 describes a building unit which employs steel studs in conjunction with wooded cross nailers or girts at spaced intervals between the studs.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,471,675 shows utilization of steel tubing or piping which have been employed as vertical studs and rafters.
Various other prior art references depict use of metallic materials to reinforce or brace wooden structural members for increasing strength or provide fire resistant capabilities. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 3,175,253 describes metallic bridging members to support subfloor joists.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,411,547 teaches the bracing of structural members by the use of channel sections and clamping strips between multiple wooden planks.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,106,258 describes composite wooden steel joists assemblies in which steel channel members are utilized to face wooden members outwardly to accept wooden fasteners such as nails or staples.
Several systems have been proposed to provide metallic braces for wood structures such as girders and trusses. U.S. Pat. No. 3,531,904 describes the use of flat metal strips placed longitudinally to wooden components.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,243 shows a metallic web structure using a U-shaped channel to aid in the support of wooden chord members in a truss structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,286,429 teaches a composite wood metal structural member having a Z-shaped reinforcing brace.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,211,044 and 4,274,241 show wooden truss structures employing plating and bracing formed of metallic channels.
Deteriorating raw wood quality has necessitated to institution of strict quality control measures in the manufacturing of truss structures. Even under such stringent quality control measures, many wooden truss structures which are manufactured are recalled for repairs and replacement of members due to shrinkage and warpage.
A truss structure which eliminates the disadvantages of wooden structural members would be a notable advance in the building industry.